Automatic smoking pipe filler



Jan. 17, 1956 A. J. MARQUIS 2,731,187

AUTOMATIC SMOKING PIPE FILLER Filed April 10, 1953 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. i

Jan. 17, 1956 A. J. MARQUIS 2,731,187

AUTOMATIC SMOKING PIPE FILLER Filed April 10, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 zzemmm pm w am United States Patent AUTOMATIC SMOKING PIPE FILLER Alphonse J. Marquis, Sanford, Maine Application April 10, 1953, Serial No. 347,939

4 Claims. (Cl. 226-125) This invention relates to devices for filling smoking pipes, and more particularly to an improved automatically operated smoking pipe filling device especially suitable for use in motor vehicles for the convenience of the driver of the vehicle.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved automatic smoking pipe filler especially suitable for use in a motor vehicle, said device being relatively simple in construction, being easy to install in a motor vehicle, and being arranged so that the filler is automatically placed in operation responsive to the insertion thereinto of the smoking pipe.

A further object of the invention is to provide an im proved automatic smoking pipe filler which may be installed in a motor vehicle for the convenience of the driver, the device being arranged so that the driver need not stop the vehicle in order to fill his pipe, said device being relatively inexpensive to manufacture, being durable in construction, and being arranged so that it is automatically energized responsive to the insertion of the smoking pipe therein and automatically terminates its operation when the pipe has been filled with tobacco.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an improved automatic filling device for a smoking pipe constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the automatic pipe filling device of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, the improved pipe filling device is designated generally at 11 and comprises a vertical channel-shaped housing 12 provided with a channel-shaped vertical cover 13 hinged to onecdge of the housing 12 at 14. The housing 12 is provided with the horizontal bottom wall 15, and secured in said housing is the downwardly tapering hopper 16 which communicates with a discharge aperture 17 formed substantially centrally in the bottom wall 15. Hinged to the top edge of the main vertical wall 18 of housing 12 is the top cover 19, said top cover being provided with the handle 20 and being further provided with the depending corrugated lip 21 which is receivable inside the top portion of the'major wall of cover 13 and which is lockingly engageable in amating corrugation22 formed in the top portion of said major wall of the cover 13. The top cover 19 is thus releasably secured in the-pd sition thereof shown in Figure 3 but may be opened by elevating said top cover by means of handle 20.

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The bottom wall of the housing is formed with the marginal flange elements 24 which extend vertically around the edges of the bottom wall, whereby the cover 13 may be secured in closed position, as by bolts 25 extending through the flange elements 24, said bolts being provided with the nuts 26 for securing same. It will be understood that when access is desired to the interior of the housing, the bolts 25 may be removed, whereby the cover 13 may be swung to open position.

Mounted on one side of the housing 12 is a small electric motor 27 of conventional construction and provided with speed reduction means, whereby the shaft 28 of the motor rotates at a relatively slow speed. For example, the motor 27 may be a conventional windshield wiper motor operable from the automobile battery of the vehicle in which the pipe filling device is installed.

Secured in the housing 12 is a bracket 29 having a flange element 30 through which the motor shaft 28 extends, said shaft being rotatably supported in a suitable bearing 31 provided in the flange 30, and secured to the end of the shaft 28 is the arm 32. Secured between the major wall surfaces of housing 12 and cover 13, as by bolts 34, is a hollow beam member 35, and secured centrally in said hollow beam member is the vertical bearing sleeve 36. Extending slidably through the sleeve 36 is the plunger rod 37, said plunger rod being thus supported in vertical position for reciprocation through the sleeve 36, the top end of the plunger rod 37 being connected by a pair of link bars 38 and 39 to'the arm 32, whereby rotation of shaft 28 causes arm 32 to reciprocate plunger rod 37. The rod 37 is in vertical alignment with the aperture 17 and is providedat its bottom end with the plunger head 40. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the plunger head 40 is normally located a short distance above the aperture 17 and is effective to force tobacco downwardly through the hopper 16 and through said aperture 17 into the bowl of a pipe 41 positioned below the aperture 17, as will presently be described.

Designated at 42 is a trough member provided at its rear end with the upstanding flange 43 which is pivoted at 44 to the bracket 45, said bracket being in turn secured to the major wall of housing 12. As shown in Figure 3, the bracket 45 is provided with vertical slots 46 through which the securing screws 47 extend, whereby the bracket 45 may be adjusted vertically in order to allow the trough 42 to be properly positioned in accordance with the size of the bowl of the pipe 41 with which the device is to be employed. The hinge 44 is provided with a leaf spring 44 biasing the plate 43 counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 3, whereby the trough member 42 is biased towards a horizontal position but may be swung clockwise against the tension of said leaf spring.

Secured to the opposite bottom corners of the main housing 12 are the angle brackets 48, 48 having inwardly projecting horizontal flanges which slidably support the opposite flanges 49, 49 of an abutment member 50, said abutment member being formed with a depending, forwardly concave flange 51 adapted to be engaged by the external surface of the bowl 41 of the smoking pipe as the pipe is inserted in the trough 42 and moved to a position below the aperture 17. Thus, the abutment member is slidably supported for movement horizontally toward and away from the flange 43 of trough member 42. Said abutment member is biased forwardly, namely, to the right, as viewed in Figure 3, by a coiled spring 52 connecting the abutment member 50 to a depending pin 53 located a substantial distance forwardly of said abutment member and secured to the horizontal flange ofone of the-bracket members 48.

relatively stiff wire or 'thelike, secured to the'bottorn wall l5 internally of the housing 12 and provided with the depending loop 55 which extends vertically forwardly adjacent to the concave depending abutment elements 51. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the loop 55 terminates a substantial distance above the bottom edge of the depending abutment element 51, and said loop is employed to retain the bowl 41 *of the pipe in a position below the aperture 17 until the pipe "has been .filled, as will 'be presently described.

Secured to the .lower portion of one of the sides of-the channel-shaped housing 12 is the toggle switch 56having the horizontally rotatable operating lever 57. Secured to the abutment member 50 at 58is a 'wire rod 59 formed with the upstanding vertical arm :60. The top endof arm 60 .is formed with the .horizont alloop 61 which receives the operatinglever 57 of switch --56. The loop 61 is 'arranged to actuate the lever 57 from a position wherein the switch is open to a position wh'erein the switch is closed and vice versa, responsive to the "rearward movement of the slidable abutment member 50, namely, the movement of said abutment membertothe left, as viewed in .Figure .3, when a :pipe bowl is inserted and moved into a position beneath the aperture 17, and is then, afterfillin'g, released and pushed forwardly by the return movement of the abutment member 50 caused by the biasing spring 52. The switch 56 is connected in series with the motor 27 and the vehicle battery, whereby'closure of the switch energizes the motor 27.

The device is first filled with tobacco by opening the top cover 19 and emptying the contents of a tobacco container into the housing defined by the stationary housing member 12 and the cover 13, above described. The i plunger head 40 will normally provide vsufiicient obstruction to block the discharge of tobacco from the device, since said plunger is of substantial area and overlies the discharge aperture 17.

When the vehicle operator desires .to fill :his pipe, he inserts the pipe in the trough 42 "and rotates the trough 42 downwardly, at the same time moving the pipe bowldl rearwardly against the depending abutment element 51 until the edge of the bowl may be engaged between the abutment element 51 and the depending loop 55. 'The spring means acting on the .hinge 44'wil'l then elevate the trough 42 to a horizontal position, such as is shown in Figure 3, and, the rearward movement of the abutment member 50 will at the :sametime fclose theener'gizing circuit for the motor 327. Thus, the shaft 28 reoiprocates the plunger rod 37, whereby :the plunger head 40*reciprocates vertically and pushes tobacco downwardly through the discharge aperture $17 into the pipe bowl 41. "The tobacco is thus pressed into the pipe bowl, and as the bowl becomes filled, the pressure exerted thereonby the plunger head 40 causesthe -pipe and the trough -42 to be rotated downwardly to a position wherein the edge of the bowl 41 descends below the bight por tion'of the "loop 55, thus allowing the depending abutment element 51 to push the pipe forwardly, namely, tothe right, as viewed in Figure 3, by the action of :thecoiled spring 52. The spring 52 thus causes the abutment member 50 to "be moved forwardly, namely, 'to "the right, as viewed in Figure 3, and'therefore causes the loop 61 to rotate the switch lever '57 toward its initial position, namely, toward the position wherein the switch 56 is opened. This deenergizes the motor 27, terminating the-operation of the device. The filled pipe thus remains in the ;forward portion of the trough 42 andmay then be removed :by .the vehicle operator.

From the above it is apparent that the pipe may be filled by merely inserting same into the trough 42 and positioning the pipe bowl beneathtthe aperture s17 in the manner above described, the device automatically' terminating its operation after the pipe has been filled and "after the "abutment member 50 has returned to its normal position.

While a specific embodiment of an improved automatic filler for smoking pipes has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of .theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic ,fillerfor tobacco smoking pipes comprising a housing having side walls and an apertured bottom wall, a discharge hopper mounted in said housing and communicating with the aperture in said bottom wall, a trough member pivoted to said housing below said bottom wall, means biasing said trough member to a position substantially parallel to said bottom wall below the aperture therein, whereby a smoking pipe may be ,sup ported on said trough member "below said aperture, a plunger'slidablymountedinsaid'housing over said hopper, drivingmeans on said hopper arranged to reciprocate said plunger, control means controlling said driving means and having a depending operating member and slida'bly supported from said bottom wall adjacent to said aperture and arranged to 'beoperated by engagement with a smoking pipe placed'beneath said aperture.

'2. 'In an automatic filler -for a smoking pipe, a support, ajplunger slida'bly mounted on said support, a head on one end of said plunger, a tobacco hopper surrounding said head and having adischarge opening, a pipe support- 'ing trough hinged on said support beneath said discharge opening to swing downwardly away vfrom the hopper, means yieldably lbiasing said trough upwardly toward said hopper, a pipe bowl engaging element depending from said support above said trough, and driving means connected to said plunger for reciprocating said plunger in said hopper so as to move said head toward and away from said discharge opening.

3."I'n an automatic filler .for a smoking pipe, a support, a plunger slidably mounted on said support, a head on one end of said plunger, a tobacco hopper surrounding said .head and having .a discharge Opening, a pipe supporting trough hinged on said support beneath said dis charge opening to swing downwardly away from the hopper, means yieldably biasing said trough upwardly toward said hopper, .a pipe bowl engaging element depending from said support above said trough, and driving means connected to said plunger for reciprocating said plunger 'in said hopper so as to move said head toward and away ,from .said discharge opening, control means mounted on said support above said trough and opera tively connected to said driving means, said control means comprising a spring. positioned member arranged to be displaced as .a ,pipe bowl is engaged with said pipe bowl engaging element so as to operate said driving means.

4. In an automatic fillertorasmoking pipe, a support, a plunger :slidably mounted on said support, a head on one end of isaid'plunger, a tobacco hopper surrounding said head and having a discharge opening, a pipe supporting trough hinged on said support beneath said discharge opening to swing downwardly away from said hopper, 'means yieldably biasing said trough upwardly toward said Shopper, a pipe bowl engaging element de pending from said support above said trough, and driving means connected to said plunger .for reciprocating said plunger .in .said hopper so as to move said head toward and :away .from said discharge opening, control means {mounted on said support above said trough and opera- :tively'connec'ted :to :said driving means, :said :control means comprising a spring positioned member arranged to be displacedas a pipe fbowl .isengaged with said pipe bowl engaging element =so as to #operate said driving means, said-"drivingmeaus comprising "an electric motor mounted 6 on said support, and said control means comprising an 950,410 Smith Feb. 22, 1910 electric switch connected in circuit with said motor, said 2,595,576 Hand May 6, 1952 switch comprising an actuating member operatively con- 2,626,084 Wekerle Ian. 20, 1953 nected to said spring-positioned member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 335,296 Meredith Feb. 2, 1886 

